Gospel Melody Music Ministry

By Steven Chan, translated by Lu Zheng

Led by God, Gospel Melody Music Ministry (G3M) has gone through a 13 year long spiritual journey since it was founded in 2008. In many ways, it testifies God's teaching in Colossians 3:10, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Like this verse, we mobilized many parts in the body to evangelize and to build up each other. We never forgot the vision given to us when the ministry was first formed: be led by the Spirit, follow the ways of the Bible, and testify Christ in our church life. The purpose of G3M is to spread the gospel. We sing Cantonese Gospel Opera to reach unbelievers. Personal life stories are also shared to testify that the Lord is real and alive among us. Through one-on-one evangelism, visiting teams, community care services, large music-sharing gatherings, and God's word, we testify how powerful and real is the gospel.

“Hold fast to the truth, practice the Great Commission. I am very happy to be able to participate in outreach work with a group of brothers and sisters who are willing to serve God faithfully even while they have a busy life as some have children & grandchildren.”

Over the years, we have experienced challenges such as song selection, what to do with participants' faith background, equipment issues, believers' commitment and spiritual equipping, as well as how to fit the ministry into the overall direction of the church. We are richly blessed by the LORD; His grace is sufficient! He "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Eph 3:20).

By God's grace, many got to know God and were baptized through this ministry. God has also equipped several commit-ted servant leaders among us. They not only serve faithfully in G3M but also participate actively in the church's other ministries. What joyful ambassadors of the Gospel they are in the LORD! Through the power of Jesus Christ that can change the lives of believers, we hope to have influence on people's lives.

The members of G3M continue receiving guidance from above as we devote ourselves to the ministry. We learn to obey and practice the teachings of God, knowing His wisdom is perfect. We desire to serve humbly and wholeheartedly. Facing challenges provides us opportunities to trust and experience God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. As written in Matthew 19:26, "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossible but with God all things are possible."

G3M started from a fellowship with this mission: to connect lives through life testimonies, worship, and sharing the love of Christ. We pray that G3M can be a bridge to the gospel and be integrated into the church's ministry. May there be more participation from our brothers and sisters, each one using their particular gift. In this era of the "new normal", we ask God to give us wisdom and the ability to reach out effectively to the communities, so that the message of the gospel can be deeply rooted in people's hearts.

G3M needs your prayers, testimonies, and participation. Are you willing to take a step of faith with us, as a response to your own spiritual calling? As Christians, we are to live a life to glorify God and benefit others, to spread the gospel and to expand the kingdom of God. "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Matt 28:19)

Joy in our Trials

By Chris Magpantay

Perhaps there is a person somewhere out there who has not been affected by the pandemic in the past year. I do not know what that would be like. I imagine all of us do not know. What I do know and believe is that God’s plan is at work. The pandemic has complicated everyday life. Before COVID, the necessities when leaving home were my wallet and keys. Now, I need to add a mask and hand sanitizer. This is not good for someone with a bad memory like me! Shopping at Costco is not the same either. You have to wait in line to get inside. Once you finally get in, there are no more samples! Inviting friends and family over for dinner, calling up a few friends to play basketball, and traveling are all things that we now know we took for granted. On the family front, for those of us who are still employed, there is the challenge of figuring out how to juggle working from home, while keeping the kids busy and engaged in the absence of soccer practice, swimming lessons and other extracurricular activities.

Vicky And Chris, with Camille and Nicholas

The true challenge for me has been managing the balancing act of being a husband, a father to two children, a deacon, and a civil engineering project manager. These major roles each require significant dedication and time commitment. Although these roles are not new to me, the pandemic has resulted in a heightened workload and an added layer of stress, to the point where these roles can at times feel like a burden. I am reminded of James’ words:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." (James 1:2-3)

I generally do not like facing trials, especially when there is no timeline and no end in sight. The pandemic has no defined timeline. Nonetheless, we are encouraged to take joy during these times. Taking joy in trials is not easy, but the Word makes it clear that they are necessary for spiritual development. I pray that we can all take this verse to heart, knowing that through these trials, we will develop a greater trust and dependence on our Father, and that we will come through more mature and a better reflection of Jesus Christ.